I'm here!!

Ok Fam Damily!...I'm here!


I'm totally in Chicago and loving it! We hopped on the plane right after we got off the phone with ya'll and then flew in. I tried to sleep, but it was so freezing where I was sitting on the plane. There wasn't anyone I sat by, so I didn't feel guilty to take a nap instead of give away my handful of pass-alongs right then. We met Pres. And Sister doll by the baggage claim. I was so nervous/anxious/excited...I tried to act normal and be myself. I hope I hope my weirdness didn't show in the first impression phase. (However, there may have been an elder or two that outdid me there, so I think I'm ok.) I love them. They are so down-to-earth and friendly. I felt like I was with you two. Pres. has a similar Dadness and Sis. Pres. acted just how I though she would, but even more sassy and funny. The way she runs things is brilliant. So, whenever you two become mission presidents I have som brilliant ideas.

Loved flying in, the excitment was so thick you could cut it with a knife. I never pictured my first day in Chicago or even where I would be serving, so when they threw me on the L I was soaking it all in. I said a little prayer and patted Hermana Freeman on the back. "We got this." 2 stops later a couple got on and sat behind us. I hiccuped and the conversation got started. We talked to them about a little bit of their background. They are unmarried and have a 7 month old. They aren't really religious, but would like to be. I talked to him, Paul, about agency and the love God has for us, because he was struggling with the thought that there would be a loving HF with all of the things he saw in the army. She, (I think it was Sarah...but for the life of me I can't remember) said she felt something when I testified of eternal families through JS/the temples. It was THE PERFECT first contact. I was in love. He said he'd read and pray, she said she'd loko up more on mormon.org and look up a church to go see this Sunday. I hope and pray that they will. Oh they rock.

The rest of the day we went and saw some of the sights which were beautiful. Next to the beach, Chicago may be my new favorite place. It has the same feel as NY but way more down to earth. I even got my picture taken for the newspaper for Chicago's clothing do's and don'ts...They said my longer skirt was a Do. So...maybe Chicago believes in modesty for the wintertime. Go them! haha. We then went to the mission office and got some training on cars etc. and then drove over to have some dinner at the mission home and to bed we went!

Then we woke up and got some b-fast (Thanks Sis-pres!) and headed off to the stake center for a long but tasty training session with the AP's and Pres. Then...we got our trainers!! My mom is Hermana Noyes. She is from southern Utah. She has been here 13 months and this is her first time as a trainer or a senior companion. She is so sweet...and 6 feet tall! Her hair also goes halfway down her back. She has a ready smile-always. She wants to be a child psychologist...I think? And today?-her b-day! Our area is up in Rockford- closer to Wisconsin. It feels like a Sandy Utah or a Gilbert. Its beautiful.

It did rain quite a bit driving in, but I haven't seen much rain since then. I got a lands end hand me down coat from the mission home that I think will do the job really well! I have acquired some really cute boots from a past sister missionary. They may need som Dr. Scholls, but they'll do the job for now. I just need socks, I got most of my necessities though yesterday.

We're here right now in a college library just out of rockford and we can't take phone calls inside....so I had to go with Hermana Noyes outside. I freaked and sent this email before I was done! Our prep day is split this week because transfers fell on a Tuesday, and Thursday is Thanksgiving. Therefore...we sort of get 3 split up days of prep day. So we shopped yesterday, are writing emails hoy. Pero,  nuestro dia de preparacion will be on Mondays starting soon. They're usually on Wednesdays.

Feelings as of now? I'm loving it. It is great to finally get out of the bubble that is the MTC (or CCM for all you Spanish speakers out there.) I have some high expectations for this area-including for myself and my companion. I am surprised at how much of a fireball I am! I can understand maybe 70% of maybe 50% of the people...so I don't have any right to be a fireball probably. I think I scare Hermana Noyes with my desire to knock doors etc. However, with an area like this one where I think some of the members are still iffy about their missionaries, I don't want to just be baking cookies to win hearts, which I guess is the name of the game around here. We have quite a few people we are teaching right now which are great. We haven't been able to meet with any of them yet, but we have 5ish appointments today and someone we need to visit that we met yesterday (Raul...I only understood his name out of everything he said...ahh!)

We'll see how things go. I don't want to lose my expectations and my working hard. I want no regrets, and to bring tons into the waters of baptism. I know-even in a difficult area like this one that attitude is everything. I'm ok to get rejected a lot of times if that means this area starts looking up. Bring it on! (Thanks to the new in-field orientation at the MTC and the 12 week program they've started all the new missionaries in the field on...I'm feeling even more confident. We literally have the most resources and the best training than any missionaries before. I just pray that I use it all to my advantage. Not set my expectations too high...but definitely at miracle status.)

Have a beautiful and wonderful Thanksgiving! I love you all and will be thinking of you as I eat a totally Hispanic Christmas dinner with a non-member family tomorrow. Pray for me that my Spanish will be well enough that they will be "thankful" we came. They seem really nice though.

Loves!
Hermana Moffat